Rotherham

Rotherham's population grew in the decade to 2011. Data from the census also show there were changes in housing tenure, marriage and health.

The population passed quarter of a million

In the decade leading up to the most recent census, the population of Rotherham increased by 3.7%, from just over 248,000 to 257,000.

The addition of just over 9,100 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Rotherham was home to, on average, 6.4 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across Yorkshire and The Humber

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Yorkshire and The Humber, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Rotherham

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Rotherham increased by three years, from 38 to 41 years.

This industrial area had a higher average age than Yorkshire and The Humber and remained slightly older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of about 6,000 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by almost 8,000.

About 12% of people in Rotherham are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, Yorkshire and The Humber and Rotherham by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Rotherham

Rotherham saw England's third-largest fall in the proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability.

In 2011, just over 1 in 15 (6.8%) in Rotherham reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities, compared with 7.7% in 2001. The percentage who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 4.5% to 5.3%.

England's largest decrease in the proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability occurred in Barking and Dagenham (from 5.7% to 4.7%) followed by Derby (from 7.3% to 6.3%).

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across Yorkshire and The Humber

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in rate of self-employment

The percentage of Rotherham residents that were self-employed increased from 5.9% to 7.5% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage who said they were employed remained close to 52%, while the percentage of Rotherham residents that were unemployed increased from 4.0% to 5.2%.

The proportion of self-employed people increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Yorkshire and The Humber (from 7.2% in 2001 to 8.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 8.2% to 9.7%.

The rate of self-employment in Rotherham increased by 1.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Rotherham, Yorkshire and The Humber and England that said they were self-employed, March 2001 and March 2011

Fall in social renting

Rotherham saw Yorkshire and The Humber's third-largest fall in the proportion of socially rented homes.

In 2011, just over one in five (22%) households in Rotherham lived in social housing, compared with 26% in 2001. The percentage of privately rented homes increased from 5.6% to 11%.

Across the region, only Sheffield (from 30% to 25%) and Kingston upon Hull (from 33% to 28%) saw a greater decrease in the proportion of socially rented homes.

The rate of social housing in Rotherham decreased by 4.8 percentage points

Percentage of households in Rotherham, Yorkshire and The Humber and England that rented socially, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Rotherham residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 3.0% to 3.5% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.5%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Yorkshire and The Humber (from 2.3% in 2001 to 2.6% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Rotherham remained close to 3.5%

Percentage of usual residents in England, Yorkshire and The Humber and Rotherham by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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